The In Between
by xx.Bel.xx
Summary: The world isn't coloured in just black and white. Amongst it all if you look hard enough you will find the grey along with the people in it. This place is known as the in between.
1. Chapter 1

**Title: **The In Between

**Rating: **T

**Pairing: **Gaara x Sakura

**Summary:** The world isn't coloured in just black and white. Amongst it all if you look hard enough you will find the grey along with the people in it. This place is known as the in between.

**Disclaimer:**I don't own Naruto or any of its characters.

* * *

**Chap 1 ~ She no longer had a home**

'_Another new town, another new house and another new school'_

These were the words that flew through the mind of a seventeen year olds mind as she watched the scenery fly by her car window. Her name was Sakura Haruno and this place reminded her of all the other places they had been to, nothing at all stood out to her as she watched the rows and rows of almost identical immaculately kept houses and front yards pass by her very eyes.

It was like someone had once again thrown her into one of the suburbs that you think only exist in magazine pictures where everything around you is _perfect_! And ever single bit about it made her want to set herself on fire.

Tearing her gaze away from the window Sakura caught her reflection in the mirror that was located on the passenger seat sun visor. Her hair had grown a great deal over the years from its once short length at her shoulders to where it now fell to the bottom of her elbows unforchantly that was one of the very few things she liked about her hair. The other few things she liked about it was the fact that her heavy side fringe hid her slightly large forehead and the fact that it was naturally dead straight.

But the one thing she hated the most about her hair was the fact that is was such a unrealistic colour and it all came naturally. Dark bubble gum pink hair was not exactly… normal and it was something that had resulted in a lot of teasing directed towards her.

Blinking Sakura moved her thoughts away from her hair and onto her many other features. Her eyes were a bright emerald green contrasting horribly with her hair but never the less beautiful all the same. Her skin held a perfectly even soft golden tanned tone and not one blemish or scar marked her skin, the one thing that did however mark her skin was the semi-large tattoo that covered the right side and some of the left side of her back.

The ink was drawn flawlessly in shades of black and greys by a hand that had obviously had many years experience. A single branch that started just below the middle of her back on her right side stretching up and curving in places before branching off into two sections, one section coming slightly across onto her left side. In total there were three fully blossomed cherry blossom flowers drawn into her skin and three closed flower bud, along with the flowers a few carefully placed cherry blossom petals were drawn creating the look that they were being blown around in the nonexistent wind.

Once again tearing her eyes away from what she had been focusing on she forced herself to stop thinking about the tattoo that graced her back and what it meant, she had promised herself a long time ago that even though it was there was a reminder she would not think about its meaning unless it was truly necessary for it only brought her pain.

However Sakura was snapped out of her thoughts when the familiar sound of her Aunties kind and loving but yet stern voice reached her ears.

"We're here Sakura" Tsunade said causing her to realise that they had indeed reached their destination.

Stepping out of the car she looked up at the extravagant house that stood before her much to big for just two people but Tsunade had never cared much for things like that.

The house was just like all the other houses that stood proud all around her. The front lawn was greener than her own eyes were and immaculately kept and the flowerbeds plus the trees and buses were no exception to this. The house itself was two story and very large making her realise there were going to be rooms in there that would barely be used if ever used.

The house itself was rendered in a light grey almost white colour the roof itself being a cedar shake roof sporting the colour of more distinguishable medium grey, the doors and windows all having this same colour except for the fact that the were wood.

The drive way was made out of brick perfectly laid so the smoothness could rival that of concrete and the colour of the bricks matching the rendering of the house colour to its exact shade.

"Welcome home Sakura… welcome home" Was the only other thing Tsunade had to say before she locked the car and made her way towards their new house.

But all Sakura could was stand there like she always did upon arriving at their next _home_, but she knew it wouldn't last long for the pure fact that within a few months Tsunade would get another transfer and they would have to pack up and move all over again.

It was always like this and that was why as she stood there looking up at this new house she promised herself that she would not get attracted nor emotionally involved with anything in this town. Because if she did it would only hurt more when she had to leave… she knew this from experience.

Because this was not her home… she no longer had a home.

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_**Ok, so I cant exactly remember if I have ever uploaded a Naruto fanfic before and I'm to lazy to check. So if I haven't here is my first one :D Please if there is any spelling mistakes or grammar mistakes just bare with me for now because it was like two in the morning when I randomly started writing this so yeah. If the spelling is bad trust me that will get better the grammar on the other hand you will just have to deal with cause that was the one thing I like totally failed with in school so I'm sure you will all get over it. **_

_**This is the first story I have wrote in a while and trust me when I say I have not uploaded nor found the time to continue any of my other stories sorry guys but TAFE comes first :D SORRY IF YOU ARE ONE OF THOSE READERS AND YOU ARE READING THIS PLEASE DO NOT BE ANGRY AT ME! I KNOW I PROMISED TO START WRITING AGAIN LIKE MONTHS AGO BUT I JUST HAVEN'T FOUND THE TIME :( AND I KNOW I GAVE YOU ALL A DATE AND EVERYTHING TO WHEN I WOULD START AND I AM SO SO SO SORRY I HAVEN'T :(**_

_**I'm sure you understand and if not I cant do much about that now can I. I wrote a total of six chaps the other night so they will all be posted but don't be surprised if in a little while the chaps just stop coming or it takes months at a time to write and upload them if I find the time to actually write that is because I simply got bored the other night my internet would NOT work so I was bored and just decided to write to pass the time until the internet started working again and quiet frankly I don't even know if I'll finish this story cause guess what not one of my other stories have been finished and I'm the kind of writer who just writes and wings it doesn't really have the faintest idea where she is taking things just kinda writes and babbles and babbles away but hey some of you must like it cause I have gotten some good reviews before.**_

_**ANYWAY! CLICK THE BUTTON UNDERNEATH AND LEAVE US A REVIEW! YOU KNOW YOU WANT TO... HA! THAT RHYMED! **_

_**CATCHA! **_


	2. Chapter 2

**Title: **The In Between

**Rating: **T

**Pairing: **Gaara x Sakura

**Summary:** The world isn't coloured in just black and white. Amongst it all if you look hard enough you will find the grey along with the people in it. This place is known as the in between.

**Disclaimer:**I don't own Naruto or any of its characters.

* * *

**Chap 2 ~ Perfect**

Walking up the steps of her new her house she closed the front door behind her before she made her way through the main foyer not seeing Tsunade but knowing she was obviously around here somewhere in the place.

The colour scheme of the house matched the outside but black was added to the mix. Not bothering to dwell on these facts Sakura quickly walked up the grand staircase that stood directly in front of her and went in search of her new room knowing all she had to find was the room that had all her possessions in it.

Finding it just as quickly as she found the staircase and seeing as that look her all about two seconds she now found herself laying in her new bedroom that was much to big for just one person but like everything about this house size was obviously a overkill.

Rolling over onto her back she looked up at her ceiling and thought about tomorrow it being her first day at her new school and all. She wasn't exactly one to prepare in advance but after all her past experiences of her first days at her new schools she had learnt one thing.

First impressions were also your last.

Sitting up she stared bluntly at the large double doors on the right side of her room that lead into her walk in wardrobe.

'_If I don't find an outfit now than I'll just be running around at the last minute tomorrow morning' _Sakura thought before letting out a sigh and rolling over so she was laying on her side at the side of the bed she reached over and pressed play on her ipod dock from where it sat on her bedside cupboard and turned it up full ball.

Jumping up she started to strip off her knee length tights and tank top, one of her more comfortable outfits for a long car trip. Now clad in only her matching black bra and panties with red silk bows sown to parts of them she made her way towards her wardrobe and threw the doors open seeing all her clothes already hanging up on coat hangers she started to rifle through the rows looking for the perfect '_first day of school outfit' _as she liked to call it.

She had successfully tried on several different outfits before her bedroom door open and her Auntie like always just had to voice her opinion, this time directed at her current outfit.

"You look like a rainbow threw up on you" Tsunade said bluntly before cracking a smile and walked over to turn down the music so conversation would be easier.

"_Thanks_!" Sakura said her voice dripping with sarcasm as she started to peal off the multi coloured clothes that obviously didn't go together.

"No problem" Tsunade said happily but also obviously being sarcastic before continuing from where she now sat on Sakura's bed "So umm… what exactly is it your doing?"

"Trying to find an outfit for tomorrow" Sakura answered as she started to pull on a pair of low riding blue denim short shorts that had rips in them and were frayed all around the bottoms.

"And since when do you prepare beforehand?" Tsunade said while raising an eyebrow in amusement.

Sakura simply shot her a look at obviously said _'Drop It!'_ before turning back to her wardrobe going in one second and coming out the next pulling on a thin white cotton shirt that was form fitting but didn't stick to her like a second skin and road up slightly showing off a good inch or two of skin between her short shorts and shirt.

Walking over to her vanity where all her jewellery sat either hanging on hooks or carefully placed in boxes she found her favourite necklace. It was a dirty golden chain that had that worn rusted look to it that held six trinkets dangling from it.

The first was a dark silver symbol for Aries, the second was a long thin clear crystal, the third was the word Aries written in the same dirty golden colour that looked rusted, the forth was dark silver peace symbol and the fifth was a circle in the same dirty gold rusted colour that had the words Aries curving around the top and another symbol for Aries underneath it.

Placing it around her neck she clasped it in place before picking up the matching bracelet that was a piece of black cord that had one single trinket hanging from it identical to the fifth trinket on her necklace. Slipping it in place and adjusting it so it wouldn't fall from her wrist she walked back over to her full body mirror and looking at her newest outfit.

"I like it, very you" Tsunade commented from where she sat

"Hmm… its missing something" Sakura sighed as she turned and looked at herself from different directions.

"How about…" Tsunade trailed off as she got up and walked into Sakura's closet emerging a few minuted later and finishing her sentence "This"

Taking the jacket that Tsunade had picked she slipped it on and walked to stand in front of her mirror once again.

"Perfect" Sakura beamed as she looked at the slightly off white coloured jacked with sleeves that came to her elbows and were rolled up once. All along the right side of the jacket there were large buttons but nowhere to do them up seeing as they were just there as an accessory and not to be practical.


	3. Chapter 3

**Title: **The In Between

**Rating: **T

**Pairing: **Gaara x Sakura

**Summary:** The world isn't coloured in just black and white. Amongst it all if you look hard enough you will find the grey along with the people in it. This place is known as the in between.

**Disclaimer:**I don't own Naruto or any of its characters.

* * *

**Chap 3 ~ Not a good start**

By the time Sakura woke the next morning Tsunade had already left for work so she now had the house to herself. Rushing through her morning routines she made it out the door by 7.30 and started the short three block walk towards her new school _'Konoha High School' _wanting to get there early before school let in at 8.00 and class started at 8.45.

Hoisting her one shoulder book bag higher on her shoulder that was actually just more of an over sized handbag she walked down her driveway while placing her earphones in her ears and turning on her ipod but stopped abruptly before she even got a chance to press the play button.

Directly across the road a boy that looked around her age maybe a year or two older walked out his front door and started down the footpath in the same direction she was heading in.

'_Someone from my new school? Maybe?' _Sakura thought as she pressed the play button on her ipod and shoved it in her shorts back pocket.

As she began to walk she tried to keep a distance from the boy not wanting to come across as a stalker or anything but mostly because he scared the hell out of her and she didn't even know anything about the guy but one look at him and his whole aura screamed _'PISS OF IF YOU KNOW WHAT'S GOOD FOR YOU!'_ and she defiantly did NOT need to get on anyone's bad sides first day in and especially someone who lived so close to her.

Sighing reluctantly she crossed the road and continued her walk on the side of the road this stranger was on seeing as she would need to turn the corner that was on that side of the road anyway.

Trying not to look at him and focus on her music she groaned in defeat as she realized she was noting his appearance without meaning to and deciding to just quickly survey him and then look away once her curiosity was quenched.

He was taller than her probably by two or three inches at most his skin was tanned darker than her own was and she could tell that the majority of his time would have to be spent outside in the sun to acquire such a gorgeous coloured skin.

He was wearing low riding medium grey jeans that had some lighter grey patches in them where they had been worn from probably both wear and sun. He was also wearing a light grey almost white sleeveless undershirt that clung to him like a second skin and over the top a black short sleeve button up to that was left unbuttoned. From what she had seen earlier and from the view she had now allowed her to see how amazing his biceps were and she could only imagine how rock solid the rest of him was if his arms were anything to go by.

His hair however was something that drew her attention and it wasn't the fact that it was both messy and spiky at the same time obviously falling in his eyes from what she could tell it was the fact that she knew that it must be a natural colour because this was not a guy that would dye his hair willingly. Its blood red colour astonished her because she had never seen that shade of red hair anywhere before.

'_Like your one to talk Sakura look at your own hair! Red is more normal than PINK so stop judging!' _She scolded herself as she continued to walk but didn't realise until it was to late that the boys she had been observing had stopped walking and turned to face her and because she wasn't paying any attention what so ever she ended up walking right into what felt like a brick wall resulting in her landing on the pavement below her.

Snapping her head up she immediately sucked in a gasp of air as she net his gaze realising it was his chest she had walked into but it wasn't only that that cause her to gasp.

His eyes were the most beautiful gorgeous amazing things she had ever seen his jade green eyes were rimmed dark circles that told her that this boy didn't get much sleep… if any. But never the less they were the most beautiful eyes she had ever seen in her life. The other thing that stood out maybe even more than his eyes was the fact that he had the Kanji symbol for _'Love'_ tattooed on the left side of his forehead with some of his hair covering it but it was still there visible as ever never the less.

But unfortunately the scowl on his face that was directed at her kind of ruined her observations and made her gulp realising that that her earlier assumption about his aura reading _'PISS OF IF YOU KNOW WHAT'S GOOD FOR YOU!'_ was spot on.

"I'm so sorry I wasn't paying attention to where I was walking and I…" Sakura started to nervously speak more than likely start rambling along the way but the boy cut her off

"Why are you following me" He demanded his voice both husky and deadly at the same time making her both melt and want to shake in fear.

"I.. I'm no… not" Sakura stuttered before shaking her head and standing up not wanting to show that this guy effected her like this "I'm not! I'm simply walking to school I need to be there early for my first day" She said her voice firm this time in a way that would make Tsunade proud

"Hn" The guy grunted while glaring at her before turning and walking away leaving her there stunned and confused at what just happened.

"Great just great in trying to not make someone hate me I have successfully made him hate me anyway" Sakura mumbled to herself before she started walking again this time making sure she stayed a further distance from him this time.

When she arrived at her new school she lost sight of the guy but that frankly did not faze her seeing as she now wanted nothing more than to avoid him. It was now 7.56 so she decided that once the doors opened at 8.00 she would go straight and retrieve her timetable before finding her classroom hopefully all before class started at 8.45.

However things never go as planned.


	4. Chapter 4

**Title: **The In Between

**Rating: **T

**Pairing: **Gaara x Sakura

**Summary:** The world isn't coloured in just black and white. Amongst it all if you look hard enough you will find the grey along with the people in it. This place is known as the in between.

**Disclaimer:**I don't own Naruto or any of its characters.

* * *

**Chap 4 ~ Not how things were meant to turn out.**

By the time Sakura had collected her timetable and then attempted to find her classroom the bell signally that class had now started had already went off and she had still failed in finding her classroom.

Groaning when she realised she was now the only one in the hallways she continued to turn corners and walk down the corridors trying to find 7B where her Math class was being held.

Turning into another corridor she was just about fuming at the terrible numbering system for the classrooms in the school that was until she ran into someone for the second time that morning.

"I'm so sorry" On instinct she said

Groaning she didn't even want to look up when she opened her eyes from her place on the floor and saw the same now familiar jeans for also the second time that morning. Sighing she looked up readying herself to be met with a scowl and a glare but was both shocked and surprised when she wasn't.

The boy wore a blank expression this time and also was holding out his hand to her, silently not wanting to reject whatever this was she took his hand and let him pull her to her feel like she weighed nothing more than a feather. Whether it be a act of kindness, an attempt of an apology for this morning or just him attempting to be civil she defiantly did not want to pass it up.

"Thanks" She said quickly once she was on her feet and her hand had left his

"Hn" He grunted again before turning away and was about to walk off if it wasn't for her calling out to him.

"Hey wait!" Sakura said before she had a chance to stop herself and when he looked back she felt those same nerves from earlier rush back "Umm I well… umm I was just wondering if you know where class 7B is… I'm kind of lost… first day and all… if you did could you take me there?… maybe?"

Silence then fell upon them and engulfed the corridor before he thankfully broke it just not with the answer Sakura had been hoping for.

"You talk to much" He said bluntly before turning and started to walk again leaving her there sighing in defeat and about to turn away and continue her search if it wasn't for his voice once again reaching her ears.

"Are you coming" It wasn't really a question she could tell that much it was more of a statement that told her that if she didn't come now he was leaving no if's no buts.

Quickly running after him she skidded to a stop before falling into step with him not breaking the silence this time not exactly knowing what to say.

They reached classroom 7B within a few minutes and that was when the nerves really set in as she realised she would not only have to walk into her class late but also as the new kid. But what surprised her was instead of just leaving like she expected his guy to he actually stood there looking down at her as if waiting to make sure she went into the classroom.

"Umm.. Thanks" She said her voice racked with nerves

This should be easy its not like she hadn't done this god knows how many times before but she had never really walked in late on a already started class on her first day that is and to have that many eyes on her wasn't something she exactly wanted.

"Hn" He grunted before raising an eyebrow at her stillness "We're here are you not going to go in or what?"

Sakura gulped to nerves to even realise that he had probably just said more words to her in one sentence that he had said all morning.

"I… umm" Sakura stuttered glancing at the door just knowing once she walked in there the whole room would go silent and every eye would be on her… just great. But what happened next shocked her to the core.

"For fucks sake!" He growled before he grabbed her hand in his while pushing past her and using the other hand to slam the door open obviously out of frustration on his part rendering the whole classroom silent as he stormed inside pulling her with him.

"Hey!" She gasped in protest but it was to late every eye was on her… well to be precise on their entwined hands.

"Mr Sabaku!" The teacher said immediately after he bust through the door dragging her with him

'_Sabaku? I'm guessing that must be his last name'_ Sakura thought as soon as the teacher said his name.

"What is this about?" The teacher asked sternly obviously not pleased that her class had been interrupted.

"Here's your new student" ? Sabaku snapped his voice dripping with frustration and was that anger in his voice?

He could have just walked away from her once he showed her the classroom and yet he stayed and was now forcing her to go into the class even though it had been more than obvious she did not want to. Hell he hadn't even had to show her to the class yet he still did and she was pretty sure that they both didn't even understand why he did these things.

Sparing her one final glance he removed his hand from hers before stalking out the door and slamming it behind him resulting in the teacher to glare after him but obviously not game enough to punish someone like him on a good day let alone a day like today.

Silence then hung over the room but Sakura suddenly found the floor a very interesting place to stare at.

'_This was not how things were meant to turn out' _She thought sullenly to herself before the teacher broke her out of her thoughts

"Well then… umm I'm glad you could join us…" The teacher said but trailed off when she obviously realized she didn't know her name.

"Sakura Haruno, Miss?" Sakura answered her before asking her own question

"Well Miss Haruno I'm Miss Morioka" She said with a warm smile "Now how's about we forget about your… umm… _entrance_ and get on with the class shall we"

Sakura nodded smiling glad that they could start the class and hopefully everyone would even if it was temporarily forget about what just happened.


	5. Chapter 5

**Title: **The In Between

**Rating: **T

**Pairing: **Gaara x Sakura

**Summary:** The world isn't coloured in just black and white. Amongst it all if you look hard enough you will find the grey along with the people in it. This place is known as the in between.

**Disclaimer:**I don't own Naruto or any of its characters.

* * *

**Chap 5 ~ Reunion **

Sakura's math class passed by fast enough seeing as there was less than half left by the time they started again and she was now sitting in her next lesson thankfully she had been able to find it by herself this time. But unforchantly word had already spread around the school about her little entrance but that wasn't what surprised her what surprised her was what she heard from the whispering gossiping girls in her classroom where were all rudely pointing at her.

Her English teacher who was obviously very hard of hearing did not hear them and she didn't suspect anything more seeing as when he asked her name after having to repeat it for the fifth time she had just pulled out a piece of paper and written it down for him in plane English hoping that he would be able to read it seeing as he was the English teacher an all.

From what she heard from the group of girls who were only sitting a few tables away was that the guy who had been a major part of her morning, she still didn't know his first name by the way, was not only the richest guy in town but also the bad boy of the town.

Basically if you didn't want a death sentence and if you weren't part of his small group of friends you did NOT under any circumstances talk, look and defiantly NOT touch him. And yet she had done all of those things in the past what was it three hours at most? And she was still breathing it was obvious god really loved her or something because from everything she heard she should be dead right now.

Groaning she let her head drop into her hands knowing that this day was only getting worse as the minutes ticked past so by the time her last lesson of the morning ended and it was time for lunch she was not at all shocked nor surprised when a group of girls approached her looking ready to kill.

"Hey you!" The girl who stood in between two other girls who were obviously her little followers of something

"Yes" Sakura said from where she stood in the school court yard previously having been trying to find a tree or something to sit under.

"What do you think your doing with _my_! Gaara!" She growled as she now stood right in front of her making Sakura want to gag from the unbelievably strong perfume coming off this girl

'_Gaara? Is that his name?'_ Sakura thought but did not voice those thoughts

"What are you talking about?" She decided to go with hoping this didn't turn into a fight knowing Tsunade would be on her arse so fast it wouldn't be funny.

She had already been kicked out of three previous schools for fighting and frankly she didn't want to put Tsunade under any more stress than she already was, the woman was the number 1 sergeant in all of Japan for Christ sakes. Perfectly good explanation for why they moved so much. Every hospital wanted her.

"Do not play dumb with me you little slut I swear if I see you with my Gaara one more time then you better watch out" She growled "Do you understand me!"

Sakura tried to hold back a laugh but this girl was just to much and before she could stop herself she was laughing in the girls face. Seriously this girl thought she was coming off scary and threatening but Sakura had seen bloody bunnies that were more scary than his chick.

Plus just taking one look at her and anyone would know that this chick was NOT someone that someone like Gaara Sabaku would go for. Quiet frankly the comment that Tsunade had made about one of the ridicules outfits she had tried on the night before could suffice perfectly for this girls whole outfit, all you had to do was add the word slutty to the mix and you had the perfect description.

And Sakura was going to tell this wannabe just that.

"Oh please your saying that Gaara is your's! Ha! I mean I may have only just learnt his names literally seconds ago but for him to go for someone like you, BAHAHA! Oh that's rich! You look like a rainbow threw up on you and you say I'm the slutty one Ha! Have you looked in the mirror lately because its either your clothes shrunk in the wash or your that delirious that you think clothes two sizes smaller than what you obviously are will actually fit you properly and look good!" Sakura said while laughing her head off by now their semi-fight having drawn much attention

"Oh that's it!" The girl screamed as she raised her hand obviously ready to slap her.

But before Sakura could even react to stop her or dodge her someone beat her to it and she hated to admit that she was once again encountering this guy in another awkward situation.

"If you know what's good for you Karin I would back the fuck off" But it wasn't Garra who said that it was one of the other people that were all standing around her.

Garra however was the one who grabbed Karin's hand mid swing and was now holding her wrist in what looked like a vice grip which would more than likely leave a mark.

A growl came from Garra's throat slightly shocking Sakura but she refused to show it as Garra threw Karin's hand down letting her and her two friends to quickly run away.

Turning Sakura couldn't help but blush as she looked up at Gaara who was also looking down her with an emotionless expression.

"Sakura is that you?" The same voice from before brought her back to reality and made her realise they were standing in the middle of the court yard with probably half the student body watching that the display that just unfolded.

Turning she came face to face with someone she had thought she would never see again.

"Ino?" Sakura gaped as she looked at her best friend from childhood

"Forehead-Girl!"

"Ino-Pig!"

Both girls screamed at once before launching themselves into each others arms giggling and squealing before pulling back and attacking each other with questions.

"I cant believe you're here!" Ino gasped

"I cant believe you're here either!" Sakura replied her shitty day finally turning around.

"I haven't seen you since I moved when we were seven!" Ino said

"I know it has been way to long!" Sakura agreed

"OMG I'm like so stupid here I want you to meet my friends" Ino said her attention going to the rest of the people who were standing around them

"This is Tenten, Hinata, Temari, Neji, Naruto, Kankuro, Shikamaru, and you already know Garra" Ino said happily as she pointed to each of her friends.

"Hi" Sakura said knowing that it was probably kind of lame but oh well.

"So Sakura I heard that you have already successfully annoyed my baby brother on your first day and its not even over yet" Temari laughed earning a glare from Gaara.

"Brother?" Sakura asked

"Oh yeah Garra is my baby brother and Kankuro and I are twins, I however am two minutes older but besides the point. Kankuro and I are a year ahead of the rest of you" Temari explained with a bright smile

"Oh well I really didn't mean to… I'm sorry again by the way" Sakura said as she looked over at Gaara who just grunted _'Hn'_ again.

"So Sakura did you and your parents just move here?" Hinata asked and Sakura almost felt her heart stop because she knew what was coming next.

"OMG of cause I completely forgot Sakura how are your parents I haven't seen them in just as long I will have to come around and visit them sometime Sakura" And like always Ino did not disappoint her expectations

But everyone stopped when they saw her grave face. Her eyes loosing all shine to them that they had and her skin draining of almost all its colour.

"Ino… I" She stuttered out

"Sakura… Sakura what's wrong did I say something wrong?" Ino asked obviously worried

"It's ok Ino… you didn't know" Sakura whispered but they all heard it as Sakura tried desperately to fight back the tears.

"Didn't know what Sakura" Ino asked but seconds later her eyes went wide and filled to the brim with tears

"No!" Ino gasped her hands flying to her open mouth

Sakura just gave a weak smile trying desperately to lighten the mood.

"When?" Ino asked as the tears started to spill down her face but Sakura refused to let her own tears fall "When Sakura!" Ino was starting to get frustrated and Sakura knew Ino well enough to know that she was angry at herself that she had not been there for her during one of the most major parts of her life.

"A year after you left" Sakura asked "It doesn't matter anymore Ino it was a long time ago. I live with my Aunt Tsunade now"

Ino was about to say something else but the end of lunch bell sounded giving Sakura a way out.

"I have to go but I'll see you round Ino… It was nice meeting you all" Sakura said before she hurried away leaving them there standing in shock.

"Ino what happened" Tenten asked no one else except Ino having caught onto what Sakura had just said

"Sakura's parents are dead" Ino forced herself to speak through her tears

"OMG" Temari gasped her hands flying to her mouth

Ino just silently stood there realising that some reunions were better than others and this was defiantly not one of the better ones.


	6. Chapter 6

**Title: **The In Between

**Rating: **T

**Pairing: **Gaara x Sakura

**Summary:** The world isn't coloured in just black and white. Amongst it all if you look hard enough you will find the grey along with the people in it. This place is known as the in between.

**Disclaimer:**I don't own Naruto or any of its characters.

**Chap 6 ~ In the night.**

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It wasn't until that night did Sakura finally let the tears fall Tsunade was pulling an all nighter at the hospital so that meant she didn't have to try and drowned her tears in her pillows like she usually did when she cried herself to sleep. Even thought she knew Tsunade heard her anyway.

Seeing Ino again after ten years apart was great but the fact that she had to tell her best friend from childhood that her parents were both dead had been hard. Back then Ino and Sakura had been like sisters Ino's parents had been like Sakura's second family and the same went for Ino so when Ino found out about it her reaction was foreseen to happen.

The emotional pain of having to remember that night plus the fact that in just one day she had already become the schools shinny new toy to play with or better yet pick on just broke her and before she knew what she was doing she was on her feet pulling her clothes off until she stood as naked as the day she was born she ran to her mirror and turned so her back was facing it and while she looked over her shoulder she could see the tattoo that was permanently inked into her skin.

It was her reminder.

Her reminder that life despite how deceivingly beautiful was not in fact that. She had come to that conclusion a long time ago when she had been younger she had been naïve thinking the world was painted in black and white but when she was eight years old she was forced to grow up to fast. She was forced to see the world for what it truly was.

Amongst it all if you look hard enough you will find the grey along with the people in it. You will see their pain and you will see their suffering but most of all you will see their broken lives. For they are the ones that were once painted in white but the black destroyed any hope for them to stay that way. And that was how they all became part of the grey. That was how they no longer fit into the categories of white and black, light and dark, good and evil. And that was how they never would again for once those two colours are mixed on the palate you can never restore them to their original form because they are damages, branded, no longer completely whole.

That was what she now was.

She was no longer whole and she hadn't been in a long time.

Dropping to her knees she turned so she was now facing her mirror looking at the reflection of the girl she had come to know yet it was so different to the one that had once looked back at her in the mirror.

This was a reflection of a girl who knew what pain felt like, knew what it did to destroy lives. It was a reflection of a broken soul a soul that had seen to much, witnessed to much.

She still remembered that night. The night that her whole life came crumbling down around her.

Up until her eight birthday her life had been what any other innocent child would or could hope for. She had a loving family, friends and the perfect life. But after her eight birthday everything changed.

Her father started working more was barely home, barely slept, barely ate. Work was the only thing that was now important to him and a drinking addiction was created through it. Her mother withdrew from everything as well after realising her own husband thought work was more important than his family. She began to blame it on her blaming her eight year old daughter for her husbands ways saying things like if she was a better daughter this would never of happened and that her father would want to be home more is she was.

One night however it finally became worse than ever. It was one of the odd nights that Sakura was actually awake if and when her father came home. And it was the first time she had actually witnessed her parents fighting, sure she had heard them many times before she had lost count after the first few weeks but this was the first time she had actually been in the same room as it happened.

The only other different thing about that night was the fight did not just end with slammed doors and crying on her mothers part. No this time it was fuelled on for longer, it was more aggressive and before she knew it she was staring at her mother limp body lying bleeding on the ground her father standing over her broken rum bottle grasped in his hand dripping with blood from where it had made the fatal blow to his own wife's left temple.

He didn't even see her as he dropped the bottle as if just realising what he had done as he to dropped to his knees grabbing her shoulders and shaking her begging her to wake up but they both knew that was never going to happen… she would never wake up again.

And when it fully dawned on her father that that was what was going to happen he was on his feet as fast as he could go and Sakura immediately thought he was going to run but when he reemerged into the room seconds later this time however with one of the large kitchen knives clutched in his hands and she knew what was going to happen before it actually happened.

And she didn't even try and stop it. She just stood there and watched as her own father dropped back down to his knees and proceeded to slit his own throat open taking the cowards way out.

That was the night her life changed.

That was the night she was forced to grow up.

That was the night she had the reminder that life wasn't fair inked permanently into her back.

That was the night she entered the world of grey.

That was the night she entered the in between.


	7. Chapter 7

**Title: **The In Between

**Rating: **T

**Pairing: **Gaara x Sakura

**Summary:** The world isn't coloured in just black and white. Amongst it all if you look hard enough you will find the grey along with the people in it. This place is known as the in between.

**Disclaimer:**I don't own Naruto or any of its characters.

**Chap 7 ~ He wanted to know**

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In a total of one day this girl not only got under his skin like no other person had making him want nothing to do with her but also made him want to protect her in any and every way he could.

And these were feelings that Gaara Sabaku did NOT feel. Because above all else he did not even understand these feelings let alone want to feel them in the first place.

The only thing he did know was when he looked into those emerald green eyes of hers he saw something that he had only ever seen look back at him in his own mirror. He saw the same pain that was his past reflecting itself back from her own eyes telling him that she also knew this pain.

Yet everything else about her spoke differently and he was pretty sure he was the only one who saw it. Because people like them were the only ones who could tell if others were like them or not.

His whole childhood had been about pain.

His brother and sister however knew not of his pain for even though they had witnessed parts of it they never had to endure the beatings, the lashes and the cruel heartless words that were thrown in his direction. But that was the way he had always wanted it.

Their family had never been described as happy. No their family could only be described as the complete opposite. After he had been born their mother had fallen ill due to complications giving birth. Even though he had been born completely healthy their mother had not been so lucky to get away without a few scratches.

At first the illness wasn't so bad, most days their mother would be perfectly fine but other days they would find her drained of all her energy and unable to get out of bed. But after the first year passed their father started to get frustrated, having a sick wife at home and also having three children to care for plus having to keep up running his family company it all became to much. And he turned to drinking and that was the start of it all.

He would come home every day drunk, he would avoid his family as much as possible but it only became worse as the years rolled by and their mothers illness only got worse, their was no cure and the doctors were still unsure why this was happening. Their fathers drinking became worse and his company began to fail. Nothing was going right for him. So he turned to the place where it had all started to go wrong. His youngest child. That had been the first time he had ever laid a hand on any of his children. But after the first taste he found that he liked the feel of it, he liked the power that it seemed to give him. And soon he became addicted to beating his youngest child. Gaara would never forget that day.

A whole seventeen years had passed since it all started, since he had been born into an unfair world… an unfair life. Gaara knew that Temari and Kankuro knew the reason why he kept going on, it would have been easier for him to just give up but he never did he took everything his father gave to him and more. He took it all so they wouldn't have to, so they wouldn't have to have a taste of what he had to endure. He did it for them.

But then something happened that changed all their lives. Their father had come home early from work looking for something, preferably his youngest son to take his frustration out on. But his youngest son had not been there. The only one that had been home was their mother… his own wife. But it didn't matter anymore and he turned to the closest person to take his frustration out on.

That had been the day their mother had been beaten to death.

They had all come home to hear things being smashed. They had run towards the sound and ended up at their parents room. Their mother lay motionless on the ground covered in blood and bruises. Their father stormed around the room destroying everything he could get his hands on. But then he noticed them. Gaara had already ran to their mother and tried to make her wake up. But they all knew it was no use.

Gaara then lost control and tied to attack their father but stopped when he spoke. He had taunted him and told him if he laid a hand on him than he wouldn't only stop with their mother he would move on to his oldest children. So Gaara had taken his beating and they had just stood their watching.

But he didn't blame them, he did it for them. Always them.

The police had come and their father had turned on his acting skills and blamed their little brother for the murder of their mother. He was taken to court and even though everyone knew that he was innocent, even though everyone knew their father had been the one who had beaten their mother to death. There was no evidence to prove it. And even though the judge did not wish to give any punishment to an innocent teenager, Gaara had told him to anyway. They had been taken away into a private room just the three of them and the judge. And they had sat their and listened to Gaara tell him to just punish him or else it would never stop and their would be only more deaths.

The judge had unwillingly given him a punishment agreeing Gaara's wishes. He was to underage so instead of being sent to prison he was sent to juvy for a year.

But after a few weeks of his sentence their father had committed suicide, and as harsh and bad as it sounds it was the best thing that had happened to them in a long time.

Gaara however was left to serve the rest of his sentence. And by the time he was out all around town he was known as the kid who killed his own mother and caused his father to commit suicide.

Only his closest friends knew the truth and believed it and that was all that mattered to him now. The fact that those he cared about believed their story. Because of his time in juvy he had to repeat a year and seeing as Temari and Kankuro barely attended school during the time he was in juvy neither passed so they also repeated their final year again.

So when his thoughts were brought back to what brought him to this point the he wanted to know. He wanted to know what happened to her to cause her to have the same pain in her eyes that he had in his. He wanted to know how she came to be one of the people who were painted with grey.

Looking in the his mirror he reached up and brushed his kanji love tattoo that he had permanently inked into his skin when his father first laid a hand on him.

He wanted to know what mark she had that served as her reminder.

He wanted to know how she ended up in the in between.

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**Ok, so thats all for now guys hope you enjoyed the passed seven chaps but unless I get a hell of allot of reviews I'm not going to be tempted even a little to write anymore chaps for a while :)**

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